Arts Alive San Antonio

‘NEWS ROUNDUP. 2/28/2025

This weekend you have a chance to experience one of the most powerful choral works ever composed –
Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana,” a raucous setting of 24 medieval poems that deal with themes of love, life and fate, with satirical undertones. It will be performed by YOSA – Youth Orchestras of San Antonio – under the direction of music director, Troy Peters. (March 2 at 7 p.m.; Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 115 Auditorium Circle, 78205; tickets are $33-$83; 210-223-8624; www.tobincenter.org)

The San Antonio Chamber Music Society is bringing to town the award-winning Poiesis Quartet, which is replacing the originally scheduled Dior String Quartet, which had to cancel its tour.  Poiesis seeks to program music of all styles and genres and expand the traditional quartet repertoire. They often play works by underrepresented composers. In San Antonio, the group will perform works by Brian Raphael Nabors, Johannes Brahms and Bela Bartok. (March 2 at 3:15 p.m., Trinity Baptist Church, 319 E. Mulberry Ave. Go to www.sacms.org for tickets and more information.

Mexican-American composer, Nathan Felix will present his immersive opera titled “Glory Gone” at the Radius Center on March first. It’s a 45- minute opera that explores the theme of searching for one’s purpose and identity in the face of racial discrimination. The opera will feature San Antonio singers led by Kathryn Pina (soprano) as Gloria, the Hispanic pop singer who gets attacked by an obsessed and jealous photographer after a concert.  On life support, Gloria fights for her life and survives as fans go on television to ask the nation to pray for her. She struggles with her self-worth, identity and purpose.
(March 1 at 7 p.m.; Radius Center, 106 Auditorium Circle #120. The opera is produced by Nathan Felix Opera Productions; 512-731-0314; free reservations at www.eventbrite.com

The Heart of Texas Concert Band is presenting a “Family Concert” featuring audience and band favorites and including the Alamo City Arts Dance Company. (March 2 at 3p.m., Bryon P. Steele High School; 1300 FM 1103, Cibolo, TX 78108; free. For info contact Alamo City Arts at 210-369-8311; www.alamocityarts.org)

The South Texas Symphonic Orchestra will present “one-of-a-kind” concert experience at the Recital Hall inside the Fine Arts Building on the main UTSA campus. The concert benefits the Animal Defense League of San Antonio. (March 1 at 7 p.m., 1 UTSA Circle, 78249; free; for more info visit www.stxso.com)

The Symphony of the Hills’ season finale concert, “Bach Beethoven BOOM” will include Beethoven’s “Egmont Overture,” Bach’s Violin Concerto in E Majorand the biggest “boom” of classical music – Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.

The Hill Country Chorale is presenting a Classical Music Festival featuring the music by composers such as Beethoven, Handel, Faure and other well -known names. Local musicians and vocalists will participate.
(March 4 at 4 p.m.; First Presbyterian Church of Kerrville, 800 Jefferson St.,78028; 830-321-0303;
https://hillcountrychorale.org)

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church will host two touring ensembles on two consecutive weeks in March, and the public is invited to attend. On Match 4 at 7 p.m., the choir and orchestra from Concordia University in Ann Arbor, Michigan will perform. On March 11, also at 7:30 p.m., the Wind Symphony from Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska, will perform. Both concerts are free and open to the public. Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church is at 6914 Wurzbach Road, 78240;210-614-3742;
www.shepherddlutheran.com

The big dance event coming up is the Dallas Black Dance Theatre. Founded in 1976 by Ann Williams, the Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s mission is to create and produce contemporary modern dance at the highest level of artistic excellence through performances and educational programs that bridge cultures and reach diverse communities. As the largest and oldest continuously operating professional dance company in Dallas, DBDT has performed worldwide for more than four million people in 31 states and 16 countries. The company received the Texas Medal of the Arts Award for arts education in 2017.
(March 1 at 8 p.m.; Carver Community Cultural Center, 226 N. Hackberry, 78202; 210-207-7211; tickets are $42; https://thecarver.org)

The Wonder Theatre is letting us know that this is the final weekend for “9 to 5!  the stage musical based on the famous movie. (For tickets call box office at 210-267-8388 or buy tickets, $18-$32 at
www.wondertheatre.org)

Poetry lovers and writers will probably be interested in “Nurturing Hope- Poetry, Peace and Possibility,”
an evening of poetry and dialog on themes of reconciliation and conflict resolution, featuring poets Naomi Shihab Nye, Jenny Browne and special guest Padraig O Tuama. (Feb 27 at 7 p.m.; Laurie Auditorium; Trinity University; 1 Trinity Place, 78212 free; for info call 210-999-7011)

Gemini Ink, San Antonio’s best known literary organization, has a job opening: Development manager, a full-time position. For more info and to apply, visit  https://geminiink.submittable.com.

On the visual arts front, the major event is the opening of “Sport and Spectator” at the McNay Museum. In this banner exhibition, contemporary artists transform sports gear and equipment into works of art. These are mostly sculptures made from common sports objects, including basketballs, footballs, helmets and jerseys that celebrate and critique sports culture, masculinity and materiality. Represented artists include Jeffrey Gibson, Raul Rene Gonzalez, Sophie Inard, Betsy Odom, Esma Mohamoud, Tyrrell Winston and others. (On view through July 27, 2025; tickets 0-$20.; McNay Art Museum, 6000 N. New Braunfels Ave., 78209; 210-8245368; https://www.mcnayart.org/)

Another interesting exhibit is “Michael Tracy – “The Elegy of Distance”. The late artist and activist, Tracy is known for color-saturated paintings, assembled and cast sculptures and mixed-media objects that challenge conventional beauty while addressing issues of faith, ritual, immigration and the environment. The McNay hosted Tracy’s first museum exhibition in 1971, and his works return for this last exhibition that he was directly involved with before his recent death. (Through July 27, 2025.)

At SALA DIAZ, you can see “Bitter/Sweet Longing” an exhibit curated by Casie Lomeli and featuring the works of several artists: Cheyenne Amaya, Ella Brenzel, Magaly Cantu, Cecilia Sierra and Bygoe Zubiae.
Exhibition on view Feb.28- March 31, 2025/ By appointment; opening reception Feb. 28, 6-9 p.m., 517 Stieren St., San Antonio.

Ruiz-Healy Art is presenting a conversation and artist walkthrough between featured ‘for Fran” artists Jesse Amado, Ricky Armendariz, Nate Cassie, Riley Robinson, Ethel Shipton and a few others, with the conversation beginning at 2 p.m. at the San Antonio gallery.  Ruiz-Healy is joining other galleries in town in celebrating Frances Colpitt’s impact on contemporary art, artists and the Texas art community. This show is curated by Hills Snyder. (Ruiz-Healy Art, 201-A E Olmos Drive, 78212; 210-804-2219)

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